The mere threat of a holdout by Jamaal Charles convinced the Kansas City Chiefs to pay up for their star running back.

Charles agreed to a two-year extension and increased salary this season on Wednesday, one day after reports first surfaced that he wouldn’t report to training camp. And though Charles was in a unique position, his peers would be well-served by taking note of his example and use their leverage while they still have it.

NFL players earn contracts for what they can do, not what they have done. That adage affects running backs more than any other players, so timing is everything. An injury or down year can mean the difference between a hefty deal and being shuttled off.

Charles, then, was smart to demand money after a career year. At 27, Charles might have reached his peak value with his 1,980-yard, 19-touchdown season. But the Chiefs seem set to take a step back and reshuffled their offensive line, so Charles’ numbers easily could have taken a hit in 2014. Why not ask for a proper payday now?

Few ball carriers have the kind of leverage Charles had, however, so a holdout is never a sure bet. Maurice Jones-Drew stood his ground for more than a month in 2012 but got nothing from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones-Drew was the same age as Charles is now, but he had 400 more carries at the same point in his NFL career.

But teams might be more willing to find a middle ground than let bad feelings fester. Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch missed some minicamp action but eventually showed up. Lynch, who is 28 and has more carries over the last three years than any other back, wouldn’t have netted the same money as Charles. Given his workload, though, the run-heavy Seahawks might have given him something to avoid long-term drama.

Better to ask for the money now than grasp for it as it begins to slip away.